Man admits to stealing police cruiser in Miami neighborhood
Rodne Joseph, 36, was arrested on Tuesday after officers found the unoccupied vehicle parked in a residential area.
By Lina Lewis ·
Miami police arrested Rodne Joseph on Tuesday after he admitted to stealing a marked cruiser parked outside a convenience store on Northeast Second Avenue.
Joseph, 36, faces three charges: grand theft of a vehicle, grand theft of a firearm, and depriving an officer of means of protection or communication. The incident began when a police sergeant left his vehicle to enter a nearby store. Upon returning, the officer discovered the cruiser was missing and used his radio to broadcast the theft.
Officers issued a bulletin describing the suspect and the vehicle. Surveillance footage captured the suspect walking southbound on Northeast Second Avenue and 55th Terrace toward the parked car. The video also showed the cruiser traveling northbound shortly after the suspect approached it.
A North Miami police officer located the unoccupied vehicle at 527th Northeast 137th Street. Investigators continued the search in the vicinity of Northeast Fifth Avenue and 137th Street, where they spotted a man matching the description in the bulletin. Witnesses confirmed the man was walking toward the cruiser when officers detained him.
During the encounter, Joseph stated, "I saw the police car there, so I took it, I parked it there because I live there." He was taken to a local hospital for minor injuries to his hand before being formally booked into custody.
